External storage control device and data transfer method between external storage control devices

ABSTRACT

In a data processing system in which main and sub disk storage devices are under the control of individual each disk control devices, the write processing time is reduced by selectively sending data according to the command-chaining time between main and sub disk control devices. A section for judging cable length and function of the sub disk control device  36  estimates command-chaining time between a pair of main and sub disk storage devices. The channel command analyzing section  31  estimates the number of records to be transferred and the length of a record using a LOCATE RECORD command. The command judgment section for the sub disk control device  32  optimizes the command-chain to be issued to the sub disk control device using the above-mentioned information. Then, the section for issuing command to the sub disk control device  35  issues the optimized command chain. Thus, a shorter transmission time is realized by either sending individual records or an entire track of data.

This is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 08/779,471, filed Jan.8, 1997 now patented with Pat. No. 5,978,890.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an external storage control devicewhich stores data to an external storage device according to a writecommand from a host. In particular, the present invention relates to asystem in which the same data is copied to another external storagedevice.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When data used in a host are stored to plural external storage devices,main and sub external storage devices that hold the same data aresometimes provided under individual external storage control devices. Inthis case, these external storage control devices are mutuallyconnected, and the main external storage control device issues a writecommand to the external storage control device which controls subexternal storage devices when the external storage control device whichcontrols main external storage devices receives a write command. Thus,data stored in the main and sub external storage devices are duplicated.

U.S. Pat., No. 5,155,845 discloses a method in which an external storagecontrol device which controls main external storage devices and onewhich controls sub external storage devices are mutually connected. Amain external storage control device which has received a write commandfrom a host, transfers data to a sub external storage control device.Thus, the write process is performed in parallel for both of main andsub external storage devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

When a host handles data stored in external storage devices with CKD(count, key, data) format as used in large scale computer systems, thehost issues channel commands in succession for instructing data transferof each individual record. Thus, each individual record undergoes thesame command chaining sequence in order to be transferred.

FIG. 3 illustrates a case of plural records being written using the samecommand chaining sequence. This Figure illustrates the case in whichplural records are written in succession by a single command-chaining.In an external storage sub-system having main and sub external storagedevices that hold the same data, located under individual externalstorage control devices, when a channel device that is a host issues acommand-chain (DEFINE EXTENT/LOCATERECORD/WRITE(R1)/WRITE(R2)/WRITE(R3)) to write 3 successive records R1,R2, and R3 to a disk storage device that is under a main externalstorage control device, data flow between the channel device and themain external storage control device and between the main externalstorage control device and the sub external storage control device areshown in the processing sequences of FIG. 3. Thus, severalcommand-chains between the main and sub external storage control devicesfor each data transfer of write records is executed.

Further, in case data is duplicated by adopting the system describedabove, the distance between main and sub external storage controldevices becomes large considering the backups necessary in case of adisaster. Thus, an optical fiber cable is adopted as the interfacecable. Accordingly, the influence of cable delay, which is considered tobe constant for a metal cable, with respect to command-chaining timecannot be ignored. However, since this duplication is for back uppurposes, the influence of the write process for the sub externalstorage control device during an ordinary process must be minimized.

In a case where the write command must be executed a number of times inaccordance with the command-chaining described above, thiscommand-chaining time required for writing to sub external storagecontrol devices cannot be ignored. This is because the amount ofcommand-chaining between main and sub external storage control devicesincreases. As a result, backup processing can severely decrease thethroughput rate in ordinary processing.

Thus, one purpose of the present invention is to optimize the writeprocess time for the sub external storage control device by taking intoconsideration the command-chaining time between main and sub externalstorage control devices. As a result, the present invention offers ameans for achieving excellent performance even under the conditionsexplained above.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the external storagecontrol device according to the present invention is equipped with ameans for estimating command-chaining time between main and sub externalstorage control devices. There is also provided a means for estimatingthe time for a write process to a sub external storage control devicebefore starting the write process to the sub external storage controldevice. The command is issued to the main external storage controldevice from the host. The present invention also includes means toselect the best suited command-chaining method. Thus, a comparison ismade between the above-mentioned estimated time with the data processingtime required in the case of transferring data for a write record ordata of plural tracks including a write record in one operation using aspecified command. The present invention also includes command means forwriting said data in a single operation.

It is possible for an external storage device to learn of thecommand-chaining time mentioned above by either measuring thecommand-chaining time from a specified command to the next command, orby setting the length of interface cable between main and sub externalstorage control devices from outside in advance. On the other hand, thetime required for a write process for the sub external storage controldevice can be calculated by the above-mentioned information and by theinformation included in the command issued to the main external storagecontrol device. Namely, command-chaining used for data input/outputincludes at least two specific channel commands prior the command tostart data transfer. For example, for an external storage controldevice, the commands, “DEFINE EXTENT” and “LOCATE RECORD”, are issuedprior to data transfer, and the number of records to be processed andthe data length are given, so that the amount of data to be transferredcan be calculated.

Furthermore, the command-chaining time between main and sub externalstorage control devices depends upon length of interface cable and theperformance of the external storage control device, and does not dependon commands made before and after the command-chaining. Accordingly,command-chaining time during data transfer can be estimated by measuringthe time for two command chains. Also, the length of interface cablebetween main and sub external storage control devices, and supportfunctions of a given external storage control device are known at thetime of installation of a backup system. Thus, command-chaining time canbe estimated with the length of interface cable as established.

Since the command-chaining time can be estimated as mentioned above, theprocessing time can also be estimated for a given amount of datatransfer in the case that the command-chaining command from the channeldevice is issued to the sub external storage control device.Consequently, by comparing this processing time with a processing timein the case of transferring data for a write record, or, data of pluraltracks including a write record together, using a command and commandmeans to write said data at once , the best suited command-chaininginstruction can be issued to the sub external storage control device.

Also, the external storage control device according to the presentinvention is equipped with means to confirm that the object data existsin the data buffer of another external storage control device in orderto transfer data from the data buffer within the external storagecontrol device to an external storage control device that receives thewrite commands, in addition to data transfer means as mentioned above.Moreover, the processing time can be further reduced by transferring allthe physical data together, including the control byte and the checkbyte in the data buffer.

Additionally, in the case where object data for the read command,received from the host, exists in the buffer of an external storagecontrol device other than the external storage control device which hasreceived the read command, the processing time for performing a read-outcan be shortened by transferring these data to the external storagecontrol device which received the read command instead of accessing theother external storage device.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent in view of the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of the data processing systemaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a configuration of the main disk control deviceaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates the data flow between the channel device, that is ahost, the main disk control device, and the sub disk control device.

FIG. 4 illustrates the data flow in the case that data are transferredbetween the main and sub disk control devices record by record or in anentire track.

FIG. 5 illustrates data format in the data buffer of a disk controldevice for the case of 8 records per track.

FIG. 6 illustrates a graph showing the relation between number ofrecords transferred and the processing time.

FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart representing steps followed according toan embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be describedin conjunction with the Figures. FIG. 1 illustrates a configurationdiagram of data processing system according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. This data processing system includes a main memorydevice 1, a channel device 2, a backup system 6 and a channel device 7.This data processing system also includes a main disk control device 3equipped with a buffer memory 4, and a main disk storage device 5, andalso includes a sub disk control device 8 equipped with a buffer memory9, and a sub disk storage device 4. The channel device 2 is connected tothe main disk storage control device 3 through an interface cable 11,the main disk storage control device 3 is connected to the sub diskstorage control device 8 through an interface cable 12. Interface cablesare also used to interconnect other elements shown in this Figure.Preferably, optical fiber cables are used as the interface cables.

As shown in FIG. 2 the main disk control device 3 includes a channelcommand analyzing section 31, a command judging section for judgingcommands to be issued to the sub disk control device 32, a managementinformation table for the sub disk control device 33, a timer 34, acommand issuing section for the sub disk control device 35, and asection for interpreting cable length and the function of the sub diskcontrol device 36. Function blocks 31 33, 35 36 are realized by amicro-program executed by a microprocessor contained in the disk controldevice 3. Timer 34 is a hardware counter that is counted up according toa constant period. The sub disk control device 8 is constructedsimilarly to main disk control device 3.

The command-chaining time required between main and sub external storagecontrol devices is measured in the main disk control device 3, by usingthe timer 34, the section for issuing command to the sub disk controldevice 35, and the section for interpreting cable length and function ofthe sub disk control device 36. Then, the command chaining time, Tsg, ismeasured when a command is processed once a pair of main and sub diskstorage devices are established. The measuring is performed by timer 34and is stored in the management information table 33 in the main diskcontrol device 3.

The main disk control device obtains support function level informationof the sub disk control device when the pair of main and sub diskstorage device is established. This function level information is storedin the management information table of the main disk control device.This stored information is used to judge whether a write command towrite data for write record, or, data of plural tracks including thewrite record can be accepted by sub disk storage control device or not.

If command judgment section for the sub disk control device 32 hasjudged from the support function level information that a specifiedcommand is not acceptable, when a write command is received from thechannel device 2, the section for issuing command to the sub diskcontrol device 35 unconditionally issues a command-chain sent from thechannel device to the sub disk control device. Thus, the system isrendered more versatile in that it can connect even with a conventionaldevice that does not support these functions.

The channel command analyzing section 2 operates as follows. When thechannel device 2 issues a write command to the main disk control device3, the channel command analyzing section 31 determines whether or notthe write command is for a disk storage device that forms a pair withthe main disk control device 3.

FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating command-chaining time for two separatecases. One case corresponds to the processing time required for transferof data for one track including a write record. The information from themanagement information table for the sub disk control device 33 is used,as is the number of transfer records of LOCATE command, the number Nwhich is analyzed by the channel command analyzing section 31, andaverage record length, L. Here, the straight line (I) can be explainedby an equation as shown below using known values of command chainingtime Tsg between the main and sub external storage control devices, theabove analysis, and the data transfer velocity V between the main andsub external storage control devices 3 and 8.

 Ts=NL/V+(N−1)Tsg  (1)

The straight line (II) shows the transfer time Ts′, which is a constantvalue, for the case where data of one track is transferred together andwhere each record length is L, and number of records in a track is Na.Ts′ can be represented by the following formula.

Ts′=NaL/V+Tsg  (2)

In the case of the sloped line (I), as the number of records increases,the processing time increases. At some point, i.e. for some number ofrecords, it is faster to send the entire track of data, because thecommand chaining time Tsg is too great.

The section for judging commands to be issued to the sub disk controldevice 32 judges whether to issue the command chain to the sub diskcontrol device as received from the channel device or to transfer dataof one track all together based upon the information contained in FIG.6, in view of the number of records N.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a case in which six records are to be writtenin a track that holds eight records of data. As seen from FIG. 4,transferring data of one track all together requires less processingtime if the number of records is greater than 4. FIG. 6 also illustratessuch a relationship according to the intersection of lines I and II.Command issuing section 35 issues the best suited command-chain to thesub disk control device 8, in view of all of the considerationsmentioned above and according to the instruction of command judgmentsection 32.

FIG. 3 illustrates command chaining between a CPU (channel device orhost) and a sub disk controller via a main disk controller. As shown, anumber of commands have to be sent back and forth before a record (R1)can be transmitted. The same sequences is followed for subsequentrecords.

According to the present invention, write processing time to a sub diskstorage device, i.e. back-up processing time, can be minimized byselecting a command-chain method to be issued to the sub disk controldevice. This is accomplished by comparing processing time for the caseof issuing the command chain to the sub disk control device as receivedfrom the channel device with that of the case of transferring data for awrite record, or, data of plural tracks including a write record alltogether.

FIG. 7 illustrates the flow of steps according to the present invention.First, the amount of data that is to be sent is calculated (STEP 100),i.e. the number of records. Then a time T1 is calculated (STEP 110). T1is equal to Ts using equation (1) above, and is computed for the case ofsending individual records. Then, a time T is calculated (STEP 120). T2is equal to Ts′ using equation (2) above, and is computed for the caseof sending the entire track of data. In decision block 130, it isdetermined if T1>T2 (STEP 140). If so, then the entire track of data issent (STEP 140). If not, then the individual records are sent separately(STEP 150). This process is repeated as necessary.

Although the present invention has been described above in connectionwith the preferred embodiments, one of ordinary skill in the art wouldbe enabled by this disclosure to make various modifications to thepreferred embodiments and still be within the scope and spirit of thepresent invention as embodied in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An external storage device which is arranged to communicate with a host processor, comprising: a plurality of disk drives; and a main disk controller arranged to be connected to said host processor, said disk drives and a sub disk controller within a sub external storage device that exists a large distance away from said external storage device, said main disk controller being arranged to select a way to transfer data from said host processor to said sub external storage device according to a quantity of said data to be transferred, and to transfer said data accordingly; wherein said way is selected from one of the following: a first way in which the data transfer time increases as the amount of the data increases; and a second way in which data is transferred over a constant transfer time that does not depend on the amount of data.
 2. An external storage system comprising: a plurality of external storage devices, a first one of which is arranged to communicate with a host processor; and a main disk control device connected to said external storage device arranged to communicate with said host processor, said main disk control device being arranged to select a way to transfer data from said host processor to a second one of said plurality of external storage devices that exists a large distance away from said first external storage device according to a quantity of said data to be transferred, and to transfer said data accordingly; wherein said way is selected from one of the following: a first way in which an entire track of data is sent; and a second way in which a specified number of individual records are sent, wherein said specified number of records constitutes less than said entire track of data, wherein selection of said way is based on a calculation of a determination of the length of said data to be sent.
 3. The external storage device according to claim 2, wherein said second method further includes a determination of said number of individual records to be sent.
 4. The external storage device according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of external storage devices are arranged to be serially connected to said host processor, such that only one of said external storage devices is directly connected to said host processor and remaining ones of said external storage devices are connected to said host processor through one or more of said external storage devices.
 5. An external storage device connected to a host processor that exists a large distance away from said external storage device, comprising: a disk control device that selects a way to transfer data from said external storage device to said host processor according to a quantity of said data to be transferred, and transfers said data accordingly, by comparing a first transfer time for sending an entire track of data and a second transfer time for sending a specified number of individual records; wherein the calculation of the first and second transfer times includes a determination of command chain time for sending data from said external storage device and receiving a response from said host processor, said disk control device transfers data according to a shorter of the first and second transfer times, and said command chain time determination depends upon a distance between said host processor and said external storage device; wherein said way is selected from one of the following: a first way in which the data transfer time increases as the amount of the data increases; and a second way in which data is transferred over a constant transfer time that does not depend on the amount of data.
 6. A first external storage control device which is connected to a first group of external storage devices and a host processor, and which controls data transfer between said first group of external storage devices and said host processor, wherein said first external storage control device is connected to a second external storage control device that exists a large distance away from said first external storage control device, and which is connected to a second group of external storage devices; said first external storage control device is equipped with a buffer memory that stores write data transferred by a write command from said host processor and with a function that transfers said write data stored in said buffer memory to said second external storage control device according to the write command; said first external storage control device has a function to store said write data to one of said external storage devices in said first group and to one of said external storage devices in said second group; and wherein if said first external storage control device has received plural write commands for said data from said host processor, said first external storage control device transfers said write data to said second external storage control device by selecting a transfer method with the shortest processing time.
 7. A data transfer method in an external storage control device coupled to external storage devices and coupled to a host processor that exists a large distance away from the external storage control device, the external storage control device controlling data transfer between said external storage devices and said host processor, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining a data transfer timing corresponding to a distance between said host processor and said external storage control device; obtaining a first transfer time to send an entire track of data including a determination of command chain time for sending data from said external storage control device and receiving a response from said host processor; obtaining a second transfer time to send a specified number of individual records including a determination of command chain time for sending data from said external storage control device and receiving a response from said host processor; and transferring said data according to a shorter transfer time between said first transfer time and said second transfer time, after obtaining in order or at random said data transfer timing, said first transfer time and said second transfer time.
 8. A data transfer method in a first external storage control device coupled to external storage devices, a host processor, and a second external storage control device that exists a large distance away from the first external storage control device, the first external storage control device controlling data transfer among said external storage devices, said host processor and the second external storage control device, comprising the steps of: obtaining a data transfer timing corresponding to a distance between the first external storage control device and the second external storage control device; obtaining a first transfer time to send an entire track of data including a determination of command chain time for sending data from the first external storage control device and receiving a response from the second external storage control device; obtaining a second transfer time to send a specified number of individual records including a determination of command chain time for sending data from the first external storage control device and receiving a response from the second external storage control device; and transferring said data according to a shorter transfer time between said first transfer time and said second transfer time, after obtaining in order or at random said data transfer timing, said first transfer time and said second transfer time.
 9. The data transfer method according to claim 8, wherein data transfer from said external storage control device to the other external storage control device by one write command is performed in a unit having a track length.
 10. The data transfer method according to claim 9, wherein said data transfer is performed according to a format in which the data is stored in said external storage devices.
 11. The data transfer method according to claim 8, wherein said external storage control device is coupled to said external storage devices via an optical fiber cable or plural optical fiber cables.
 12. An external storage device connected to a host processor that exists a large distance away from said external storage device, comprising: a disk control device that selects a way to transfer data from said external storage device to said host processor according to a quantity of said data to be transferred, and that transfers said data accordingly; wherein said way is selected from one of the following: a first way in which the data transfer time increases as the amount of the data increases; and a second way in which data is transferred over a constant transfer time that does not depend on the amount of data.
 13. A data transfer method in an external storage control device coupled to a plurality of external storage devices and to a host processor that exists a large distance away from the external storage control device, the external storage control device controlling data transfer between said external storage devices and said host processor, the method comprising the steps of: transferring data with a transfer time that increases as the amount of said data increases, when said amount is equal to or less than a predetermined value; and transferring data with a constant transfer time that does not depend on the data amount when said amount is greater than said predetermined value.
 14. A data transfer method in a first external storage control device coupled to a plurality of external storage devices, a host processor, and a second external storage control device that exists a large distance away from the first external storage control device, the first external storage control device controlling data transfer among said external storage devices, said host processor and the second external storage control device, comprising the steps of: transferring data with a transfer time that increases as the amount of said data increases, when said amount is equal to or less than a predetermined value; and transferring data with a constant transfer time that does not depend on the data amount when said amount is greater than said predetermined value. 